Internet marriage scam victim jailed over attack in drink-fuelled rage

Leeds Crown Court heard Victor Wilford had started an online relationship with a woman in South Africa after they were introduced to each other on a Christian website.

His counsel Kirstie Watson said they planned for her to come to the UK to be married and Wilford sent her £17,000 for her to do that, much of it borrowed from his elderly mother, only to discover it was an elaborate scam.

He was devastated and began drinking heavily which led to him to attempt to take his own life before he was stopped by a family member.

He had already been drinking on the night he went to the home of Andrew Hartley in Bradford hoping to relax by joining him and one of his friend’s Andre Pearson.

But when one of them referred to being sorry about what had happened to his prospective marriage Wilford began behaving bizarrely and out of character turned violent after drinking cider on top of his medication.

Christopher Aspinall, prosecuting, said Wilford produced a knuckleduster and used it to strike Mr Pearson on the head.

Mr Hartley’s efforts to calm him down provoked him more and he was babbling religious references, saying he was going to get everybody who had wronged him.

He got a knife from the kitchen and began slapping both men on the side of their head with it, and threatened to kill Mr Hartley. He then began demanding money over some tools he had stored at his premises years earlier which had been stolen and eventually robbed Mr Pearson of £300 before he left his victims with cuts and bruising.

Wilford, 47 of Hendford Drive, Barkerend Road, Bradford was jailed for four and a half years after admitting robbery and assault.

Recorder Michael Smith said he accepted he had personal difficulties after being “ripped off” in the scam but that night had clearly put the men in fear.